“In terms of the vaccine mandates, I acknowledge that it was a challenging time for people but they ultimately made their own choices. There was no compulsory vaccination. People made their own choices.”
- New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins
This statement is sparking an amount of outrage, mostly among those who feel they were forced to get vaccinated, and while the outrage is understandable, the man is telling no more than the literal truth. Virtually no one was actually compelled to get vaccinated, as we were all presented with choices. To be threatened with the loss of one’s job, the inability to play a sport, to drink in a club, or to eat in a restaurant, the cancellation of one’s college acceptance or one’s travel plans, may be unpleasant, but it is still to be presented with a choice.
Many people, most people, made bad choices. They made what in retrospect look like very suboptimal and dangerous choices that prioritized their short-term preferences over their long-term health.
So remember this next time! Remember this when the new “mandates” are put in place. The choice is still going to be yours. Learn from the mistakes that were made last time, and remember, those who are putting you in this difficult position are going to point out after the fact that you were the one who made your choice.